


Winter Warmers

by F1_rabbit



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-01
Updated: 2015-12-31
Packaged: 2018-05-04 06:56:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 17,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/F1_rabbit/pseuds/F1_rabbit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thirty-one ficlets and drabbles, one a day until the new year, with a winter (ish) theme to them!<br/>All Gen/Teen rated - pairings and links in the notes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ice Skating

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. [Nivin (Nico H/Kevin) - Ice Skating](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12294398)  
> 2\. [Dany/Carlos - Blizzard](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12294419)  
> 3\. [Mericsson (Marcus/Roberto) - Ice](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303056)  
> 4\. [Jevcardo/Dany - Ski Instructor](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303110)  
> 5\. [Kimi/Nico R - Snowmobile](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303191)  
> 6\. [Pico (Paul/Nico H) - Umbrella](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303212)  
> 7\. [Marciil (Marcus/Dany) - Christmas Card List](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303230)  
> 8\. [The OT4 (Marcus/Jolyon & Kevin/Stoffel) - The Nightmare Before Christmas](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303266)  
> 9\. [Evanns (Mitch/Alex L) - Truth or Dare?](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303278)  
> 10\. [Marciil (Marcus/Dany) - Rivals](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303302)  
> 11\. [Chesteban (Checo/Esteban) - Snow](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303305)  
> 12\. [Dan^2 (Dany/Daniel) - Skinny Jeans](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303350)  
> 13\. [Nico^2 (Nico H/Nico R) - Twirl](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303371)  
> 14\. [Jorcus (Jolyon/Marcus) - Frozen](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303386)  
> 15\. [Joffel (Jolyon/Stoffel) - Whipped Cream](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303404)  
> 16\. [Dan^2 (Dany/Daniel) - Rare Gift](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303422)  
> 17\. [Kevin/Jolyon - Snowball Fight](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303437)  
> 18\. [Chico (Checo/Nico H) - Neighbour](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303461)  
> 19\. [Dany/Jolyon - Walkies](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303467)  
> 20\. [Joffel (Jolyon/Stoffel) - Party](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303500)  
> 21\. [Davin/Marcus (Dany/Kevin/Marcus) - Ski Lift](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303506)  
> 22\. [Stoffin (Kevin/Stoffel) - Sledge](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303509)  
> 23\. [Paul/Esteban/Nico H - Warmth](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303527)  
> 24\. [Versainz & Dan^2 (Max V/Carlos & Dany/Daniel) - Movies](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303533)  
> 25\. [Nivin (Nico H/Kevin) - Christmas Wish](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303545)  
> 26\. [Marvin (Marcus/Kevin) - Shooting Star](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303551)  
> 27\. [Dan^2 (with Max & Carlos as kids) - Snowfamilies](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303614)  
> 28\. [Nivin (Nico H/Kevin) - Stuck](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303623)  
> 29\. [Estico (Esteban/Nico H) - Guardian Angel](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303638)  
> 30\. [Kevin/Stoffel/Jolyon - Office Party](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303656)  
> 31\. [Mericsson (Marcus/Roberto) - New Year's Eve](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5324765/chapters/12303668)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Lucy, Becci and Angelina :)

Kevin grew up ice skating, enjoying the winters when the lake froze over and they would go and play ice hockey on it. However the last few years he had always been busy with work, not getting a chance to go while he was home.

But this year was going to be different, he was going home and he was getting to take his boyfriend ice skating for the very first time. Nico had somehow managed to grow up in northern Europe without ever going ice skating, although given how busy their schedules were with work it wasn't really a surprise. Even over the winter break, when there were no races, the teams still found plenty to keep their drivers occupied.

Kevin had been a little worried about introducing Nico to his mum but Britt had loved Nico, and she was glad to have someone around who appreciated her cooking. It had been a nice couple of days so far, lazing around and watching movies but Kevin had the next day all planned out; breakfast, surprise Nico with the ice skates he'd got for him and then head out to the lake.

"Morning gorgeous," Kevin said, even after a whole night's sleep Nico's hair was still perfect. Nico went in for a kiss and only the fact that that Kevin's mum was in the house stopped them before they got too carried away.

After breakfast Kevin went to get the skates under the pretence of clearing the plates away, returning as Nico was stuffing yet another pastry into his mouth.

"Merry Christmas." Kevin handed Nico the large box, it was wrapped in a childish looking paper but it was what he had used to wrap all the gifts for his little brothers and sisters.

"It's not Christmas yet," Nico said, but he had a wry smile on his face before tearing at the paper until he was holding a pair of skates by their laces, confusion written all over his face. "You told me that you loved going ice skating as a kid." A grin spread over Nico's face, nothing made him happier than seeing Kevin happy.

They went and wrapped up warm, only Nico's eyes were visible under the layers of fluffy, fleecy clothing. Even through the gloves Kevin was happy to hold Nico's hand all the way to the lake, to feel like they had a normal relationship for a while.

"You're a natural," Kevin said, he had no doubt that Nico would manage to ice skate, all F1 drivers have a good level of coordination.

They chased each other around the lake until Kevin decided to dance with Nico, mimicking figure skaters and it was all going well until Nico tried to spin Kevin around. Kevin twirled majestically, his cheeky grin shining out and Nico went to grab his hand and pull him back in. And failed, sending both of them crashing to the ground, Nico lying on top of Kevin.

Kevin pulled down Nico's scarf and kissed his warm lips, delighting in the feeling of them.

"Well that's one way to get a kiss."


	2. Blizzard

It had been classified a blizzard, but Dany had seen much worse back home in Russia, which is why he was in his local coffee shop, using their Wi-Fi and drinking his own weight in coffee alone, apart from the owner, Christian, who lived in the flat above the shop.

He'd been there for several hours, his own place still had power, but it didn't have any internet, it had gone down last night and his provider had shown no signs of being in a hurry to fix it for him. Not that he was really doing anything important, but at least it passed the time. It was one of the few times that he regretted not having his actual paper books here with him in Britain, only e-books, most of which were stored on a cloud server, so he needed internet just to access them.

Dany was starting to think that it might be time to go home, Christian was looking at him with pleading eyes and he was about to pack up when the bell for the door jingled and a windswept stranger wandered in. They were wearing the puffiest coat Dany had ever seen and looked like they were preparing to climb Mount Everest. A thick layer of snow covered them and Dany couldn't help but feel a little cold for them.

He peered over his e-reader as he watched the stranger go up to the counter and order a hot chocolate. Dany was wondering if he should ask them to sit with him, since they were the only two customers in the whole place, but he wasn't sure if the stranger would want company. He was thinking about it all when fate stepped in and gave him the perfect opportunity to say hi.

"I've left my wallet at home, I'm really sorry."

Dany leapt up out of his seat, before pulling himself together and wandering over to the counter. "I'll get it. You can get the next one." Dany laughed at his own joke for a little too long.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Do you want to come join me?" Dany motioned to the table where his jacket was slung over the chair.

"Thanks. I'm Carlos."

"Dany." He put his hand out to shake but then realised that Carlos still had his mittens on, so he awkwardly waved instead.

Carlos took off what seemed like an endless amount of layers before sitting down and there was silence as Carlos held his mug of hot chocolate in both hands, inhaling the warm creamy goodness as though he was meditating. Only after he'd taken his first sip, groaning as the warmth filled his mouth, did he speak. "Is the power out at your place too?"

"No. just the internet. Otherwise I'd have stayed home and read!" Dany waved his e-reader, even though Carlos could clearly see it. It's not even like it had the title of what he was reading on the outside of it.

"I like to read too." Carlos smiled and Dany realised then how beautiful he was, that smile, his perfect hair and those lips.

Dany couldn't help but stare at them as he went to take another sip of his coffee, and ended up pouring the last bit of his coffee all down himself. Carlos had the most adorable laugh and Dany dabbed at the coffee with a napkin but it didn't take away the huge stain.

"They've just said on the news that the blizzard's going to get worse, you should both head home now," Christian said.

"You can come back to mine," Dany said, he couldn't bear the thought of Carlos being cold and alone. "It's just there on the corner." He pointed to the block of flats at the end of the street, but it was barely visible through all the snow.

Carlos nodded and they hurried to put on their jackets and gloves, rushing out the door as Christian waved goodbye. Dany had his arm round Carlos and was leading him towards his flat through the ever thickening snow. When Dany reached his front door there was already a couple of feet of snow piled up and he knocked it aside with his boots before ushering Carlos in.

"I've got some soup I could reheat if you'd like?" Dany asked, once Carlos was settled on a kitchen stool by the radiator.

"Thank you."

"You don't have to keep thanking me," Dany said, his smile going into overdrive at the fact that he'd actually managed to pick up a cutie at the coffee shop. Others seemed to do it all the time, but it wasn't Dany's style.

Once the soup was ready, Dany led him to the living room, where he'd left the duvet on the sofa this morning while watching movies. Even though he hadn't known Carlos long, it didn't feel strange to be curled up with him on the sofa, sharing their body heat and watching cheesy Christmas movies.

It all felt so natural that when they cuddled up to sleep, Dany said, "I love you," without realising it.

When it dawned on Dany what he had said he froze in fright, until Carlos said, "I love you too."


	3. Ice

Marcus watched as the handsome man kept falling over on the ice, every time he got his balance back Marcus thought he would be okay, but then the second he tried to move he'd fall over again. After five minutes he couldn't let him suffer any longer and he skated across to help him.

"Kan jag hjälpa dig?"

The man stared up at him, his beautiful brown eyes were clouded with confusion. "Can I help you?" Marcus asked again, putting a hand out for the stranger. He took his hand and Marcus helped him to his feet, holding his waist as he balanced on the skates.

"I'm Roberto."

"Marcus. It's nice to meet you." Marcus smiled, and he was stunned by how amazing Roberto's eyes looked.

"My friend said skating was fun, so I thought I would give it a try," Roberto said, "But I don't seem to be any good at it."

"I can teach you." Marcus loved the smile that spread across Roberto's face, he'd never seen such a wonderful smile and it warmed his soul.

Roberto nodded and Marcus slowly took his hands away from Roberto's waist, leaving him for a minute just to balance on his own. There was a little wobble, but he was still on his feet. Marcus put his hand out to guide Roberto around the rink, and Roberto took it, smiling the entire time.

Marcus skated off with one arm around Roberto's waist, he kept it slow at first but once he saw that Roberto was getting the hang of it he sped up a little. The rush of the cold air on his face compared to Roberto's warm body was exhilarating and he found himself letting go of his tight grip on Roberto until they were just holding hands, skating around without a care in the world.

"Having fun?" Marcus asked, he could still see Roberto grinning but he wanted to hear his voice again.

"Yes." Roberto stumbled a little but Marcus steadied him and they carried on skating.

They were a little out of breath and Marcus led Roberto to the edge of the rink so they could catch their breath. "Are you just visiting?"

"I've moved here to study, I start in January."

Marcus had to stop himself from cheering, he was worried that he would never have a chance to get to know Roberto. "Can I see you again?" he asked, his hands were trembling and he was fidgeting with the drawstring of his hood.

"Yes, of course, it's nice to have made a friend." Roberto looked down at where their gloved hands were intertwined. "Or maybe something more?"

Marcus grinned before leaning in for a quick kiss, on the cheek, but that was enough for a first date.


	4. Ski Instructor

Dan had thought that he could do anything if he put his mind to it, but now he was in the Alps, trying to work out if he could snowboard enough, so that he could teach his boyfriend. When Jev had asked him if he would teach him he'd said of course he would, without mentioning that he'd never done it before. He wasn't even very good at the games where you have to snowboard.

They'd had a few drinks last night and Jev was still sleeping so that gave him a chance to practice, but all he'd done so far is fall over. He was considering giving up, telling Jev that he hadn't quite told him the truth when he saw a tall, handsome man leading a group of children with tiny snowboards back into the hire place.

Dan followed him in, lurking at the back as he helped the little ones get their boots off before tidying all the boards away. It wasn't until all the kids had left that the instructor noticed him.

"Hi. Can I help you?" The name badge said Dany and Dan smiled to himself, it was a funny coincidence.

"I was wondering if you could teach me to snowboard…" Dan paused, realising how crazy the next bit of his request was, but Dany thought that he was finished talking.

"Sure, we have a list of classes here and you can sign up at reception," Dany said, his accent making the cheery helpful persona seem odd.

"… In the next two hours?" Dan grinned, it wasn't the first time that his cheesy grin had got him what he wanted.

"In a hurry?"

"I told my boyfriend I'd teach him, but I don't know how to." Dan shrugged in a 'you know how these things happen' kind of way.

There was something about the cheery stranger that Dany just couldn't say no to, he glanced at his watch. "I'm on my lunch break now."

"Thank you mate!" Dan dragged Dany into a big hug, squishing the air out of him and causing him to squeak.

"If you're a quick learner I can teach you the basics in ninety minutes," Dany said, he motioned for Dan to follow him and the receptionist got him boots and a board, signed out against Dany's name.

It didn't take long for Dan to master the basics, he had a good sense of balance and nifty coordination, which was a shame as Dany wouldn't have minded spending a bit longer in his company, but at least it meant that he got some lunch before his next class.

He was meant to be watching the little ones skiing but Dany was watching Dan show his boyfriend how to snowboard, and a little pang of envy crept into his heart. He'd really got on well with Dan and it was a pity that he was already taken, but that was life.

As he chaperoned the children back into the ski building he saw Dan waving for him to come over out of the corner of his eye. He ushered the children in before skiing down to see them.

"Hi again." Dany looked confused.

"This is the guy who taught me everything!" Dan said to Jev, Dany introduced himself and then stood awkwardly, wondering what Dan was playing at. When he looked at Dan he had a big grin and Dany felt like a rabbit about to be eaten by a wolf.

Jev looked at Dan and winked before turning his attention to Dany. "We'll just have to find a way to thank you."


	5. Snowmobile

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For spreadthighs :)

Nico had been zipping through the icy forests of Finland on his snowmobile, he loved being able to get away from it all and there was nothing further away from it all than his remote little cabin in Finland. It was a big change from the hustle and bustle of Monaco where everyone knew who he was.

It was nice and relaxing until there was a strange spluttering sound from the snowmobile's engine. Nico slowed, he had been pushing it to the limit, but it was still making funny noises. His pulse was rising and his eyes were frantically scanning the little dashboard when he saw what was wrong, he was out of fuel.

He was sure that it was full when he'd left, Nico wouldn't leave things like this to someone else and he'd checked it over while the guy at the hire place watched in amusement. He'd joked about German efficiency but it reality he just didn't want this to happen. To end up in the middle of nowhere, with no mobile signal, and no idea where he was.

Nico turned the keys in the ignition, but apart from a small whine, there was nothing. So he set about climbing up the hill to see if he would get a better signal from up there, at least it would be doing something useful rather than sitting around waiting. Nico hated inaction, he was always looking for the solution to problems.

As he trudged through the snow, hood pulled tight around his face, there was the sound of a motor in the distance. At first he thought he was imagining it but when he pulled his hood down he could hear it more clearly.

He was running towards the noise, stumbling in the thick snow as the noise got louder and louder, until he was sure that they must be able to see him. Nico was looking around, trying to see the vehicle, when the noise suddenly stopped. As the snow cleared a little, he saw a man in a bright red jacket wandering towards him.

"Lost?" the man asked, his words blunt and his accent thick.

"My snowmobile broke down."

"I'll give you a lift." He turned round and walked towards his snowmobile, Nico trailing after him.

"What's your name? I'm Nico."

"Kimi."

Nico was expecting more but the man just got on and waited for him to slot in behind him. He fitted perfectly behind Kimi and his arms moulded around his waist, holding on tight as the whizzed though the forest. It was only when they pulled up to a small cabin that Nico realised his hands had been resting perilously close to Kimi's crotch and the vibrations combined with being pressed up against Kimi's lean body had been quite arousing. Luckily he was in warm puffy clothes that would hide all of that but he still looked awkward getting off the snowmobile.

Once they were in the warm cabin, Kimi didn't seem any chattier and Nico took his shoes and outer clothes off before standing by the front door. He watched as Kimi did the same but he didn't stop just at his outerwear.

Nico watched as he stripped naked, not quite believing what was happening right in front of his eyes. He was waiting for Kimi to make his move when he said, "Sauna?"

"Sure."


	6. Umbrella

The snow had been unrelenting for days, but it hadn't been too bad. Until now. Nico was staring out of the office window wondering how he was going to make it to the train station through it all. Even though he had not one, not two, but three coats, none of that was going to stop him looking like a snowman by the time he got to his train.

A poor bedraggled man wandered in the door and Nico couldn't see what colour his clothes were for all the snow covering him. He shook it off on the mat at the entrance and you could have made a decent sized snowman with it all.

Nico shook his head and thought about just staying late at work and hoping that it would die down in a couple of hours. But when he checked the weather report it said that the snow was going to get heavier into the night and that there was a warning advising against non-essential travel.

With a sigh, Nico went to grab his coats, tucking his scarf and gloves in, and pulling his hat down over his silken blond hair. He was hovering by the door, working up the courage to go outside in the blizzard, when a familiar face appears. Umbrella man. Nico has marvelled at how he could carry an umbrella even when it was snowing, it had seemed the height of British whimsy, and he'd sniggered at him a few times when he'd seen him in the mornings.

"Queen Street Station, right?" Umbrella man asked. Nico blinked twice before comprehending his words.

"Yes, I see you in the mornings." Nico smiled, wondering why the man was talking to him now.

"I'm Paul." He put and hand out to shake Nico's already gloved hand. Nico marvelled at his soft voice and the fact that he had a lovely smile.

"Nico."

"You ready to brave the weather?" Paul asked, half unfolding his umbrella.

"That's not going to much use against all that snow," Nico said, gesturing at the snow as though Paul might somehow have missed it.

"You should see it when it really snows, this is nothing. And I've got a trick up my sleeve. You coming?" Paul put his hand out for Nico to take and there was something about his dry sense of humour, the soft lilt of his voice that had Nico taking his hand and following him out into the snow.

The second they were out the door Paul put the umbrella up and angled it so that it was only just covering their heads, but it was stopping the onslaught of snow coming for them. Nico couldn't imagine what the two of them looked like to others, although they didn't see another soul on the streets until they made the station. Some of that was the umbrella blocking the view.

Once they were inside the door at the station, Paul shook the snow off the umbrella, leaving a sizable pile at the edge of the entrance way. Nico was amazed that he was almost untouched by the snow apart from his feet.

"Told you I had a trick," Paul said, with a cheeky grin, "When's your train?"

They wandered up to the information boards but Nico's heart sank when he saw the word; CANCELLED. "I should go ask if there's any other trains home."

"I'll wait for you." Paul leaned on his umbrella, watching Nico as he wandered off to the information office.

"There's no more trains home for me." Nico tugged his hat off and ruffled his long blond hair.

"Mine are still on, and I've got a pack of steaks in the fridge that I'm not going to manage on my own." Paul watched Nico's eyes light up at the mention of steaks.

"You are a lifesaver." Nico gave Paul a giant hug, and Paul took his hand as they wandered to the platform, they'd held hands the entire way here. It was nice just to have a little bit of physical contact with another human being.

The train was slow and over the two hour journey they got to know each other well, so well, that after Paul had cooked for Nico, he didn't hesitate in inviting him into his bed for the night. And for many nights to come.


	7. Christmas Card List

"So is Ericsson off your Christmas card list?" Ted asked. Dany was regretting saying what he did over the team radio, it always sounded so harsh afterwards, but in the heat of the moment it had all just spilled out.

Now, nearly five months later he was writing out cards and wrapping up gifts, laughing at the next name on his list; Marcus.

The gift had been hard to find, a signed photo of Ronnie Peterson that he'd had framed. The wrapping paper was blue and yellow with a matching bow. Dany was sure that his boyfriend would love it.


	8. The Nightmare Before Christmas

"It has Christmas in the title, so it's a Christmas movie," Jo said, folding his arms with an air of finality.

"One of the songs is called 'This Is Halloween'…" Marcus trailed off, he didn't want a fight, and definitely not about whether _The Nightmare Before Christmas_ was sufficiently Christmassy to watch over the holidays.

Kevin and Stoffel looked at each other, eyebrows raised as they poured the drinks, there had been the same argument at Halloween that it wasn't 'Halloween-y' enough. They took the drinks over before settling on the sofa, it's a bit of a squeeze for the four of them, but it was cold and they were all good friends so they were happy to be cuddled up together under a big blanket on the sofa.

"We could always watch something else," Kevin said, only to have three sets of eyes glaring at him. Kevin held his hands up before saying, "Just a suggestion."

Stoffel slung an arm around Kevin's shoulders, allowing him to cuddle in and Kevin rested his legs over Marcus and Jo, squirming until he was comfy.

"Ready?" Jo asked, brandishing the remote. Everyone nodded and he hit the play button, the familiar soundtrack blaring out as they all sung along. Jo looked at the happy, smiling faces of his friends and boyfriend, he didn't care how silly they must look, all that mattered was that they were warm and cosy, and that they were together.


	9. Truth or Dare?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Becci :)

"Truth or dare?" Mitch asked with an evil grin on his face.

"Dare." Alex raised an eyebrow as the rest of their friends stared at them, waiting to see what cruel thing Mitch was going to think up for him.

"I dare you to… Stand in the snow for thirty seconds." Mitch let out a cackle and Alex looked at the thick snow. It was so nice and warm in the hot tub and the thought of getting out, let alone putting a foot on the icy ground was enough to give him goose bumps all over his body. But Alex wasn't one to back down from a dare, so he took a deep breath and stood up, the warm water turning to mist in the cool evening air, before stepping out on to the freezing cold ground while his 'friends' counted to thirty.

"One… Two… Three…"

Alex could already feel his toes going numb but he knew the grief he'd get from Mitch if he didn't do it would be worse than any temporary pain.

"… Twenty-eight… Twenty-nine…" There was a gasp in unison, extending Alex's torture before they all screamed, "Thirty!"

Alex dived back into the hot tub, the warm water painful on his numb feet and he pressed them against Mitch's legs, retaliation for being so evil. "I'll get you back for that Evans."

"You'll have to wait, I'm going to get another beer," Mitch said, winking at Alex before chuckling to himself.

Alex was grateful for the time to think of something, but he wasn't one for making up awful dares or embarrassing truths. Although there was one thing that might really put Mitch in his place.

Mitch returned with two beers, handing one to Alex as he climbed back into the hot tub. "Right… Go for it."

"Truth or dare?" Alex asked, hoping that he'd pick dare.

"Dare."

Alex's grin was huge and for once Mitch didn't look quite so cocky. "I dare you to… Make a snow angel."

Mitch's eyes went wide but he didn't miss a beat. He downed his beer, strode out into the garden as though it was a nice summer's day and lay down in the snow, arms and legs flailing until there was a perfect, Mitch-sized snow angel.

Alex shivered for him, he seemed impervious to the cold, which considering how much he loved the sun was amazing. Mitch climbed back into the hot tub, not even wincing as the warm water surrounded him, and sat on Alex's lap. Alex squealed in shock, Mitch's back was ice cold so he pressed their bodies together, trying to warm him up. One of the girls made an 'aww' sound and Mitch gave Alex a kiss on the cheek before sliding off his lap.

Alex waited for their friends to take their turns, all choosing truth rather than end up freezing cold, but none of the revelations were particularly scandalous. Finally it got back round to Mitch who smiled in a way that made Alex nervous.

"Truth or dare?" Mitch stared at Alex, waiting for his reply.

"Truth," Alex said, he didn't care what he would have to confess he wasn't going back into the snow.

Mitch stood up and rummaged in the pocket of his swim trunks before pulling out a ring. "Alexander George Lynn, will you marry me?"

There was stunned silence, only the sound of the water bubbling away could be heard, and Alex was sat there, frozen.

"Yes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a follow up fic with the wedding [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5392658).


	10. Rivals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Lucy :)

"Tonight we have a charity match between Örebro HK and HC CSKA Moscow. Title rivals in the European Cup!"

Marcus tightened his laces as the announcer's cheery voice boomed around the stadium. Of all the teams that they could have played this friendly against why Moscow? They were sworn enemies, battling for the title. He watched as they all skated out into the rink, waving to the crowd before doing a few warm up laps. At least they were on neutral ground, it would have been worse if they'd had the home advantage.

The coach signalled for them to go out on to the rink, and they filed out, waving to the crowd and preparing for battle. It felt so dramatic to Marcus but this time it was personal. The last time they'd played them he'd been struck in the face by one of their players, Dany Kvyat, and ended up with a broken nose. Worse still, he hadn't even received a penalty for it. So this time, Marcus was going to attack with all his might, and worry about the consequences later.

Marcus caught sight of his target as they lined up for the start, he was going to be on his tail for the entire match. Towards the end of the second period Dany had the puck and Marcus went into tackle him. Marcus made sure that he tripped over his stick and fell flat on his face. The whistle blew and the referee skated over, but that wasn't going to be the end of it. Dany took off his helmet, his face red with rage and threw his helmet aside. Marcus did the same, hoping that he wasn't going to get his nose broken again.

There were a couple of shoves, and the referee got in between it. "Put your helmets back on or get off the ice."

Marcus went to retrieve his helmet but as he bent down to pick it up, Dany launched himself at Marcus, knocking him to the floor and ending up on top of him, his face only millimetres from his own. He thought about shoving him off but he had the overwhelming urge to really make him suffer, so he kissed him.

It was meant to be a brief meeting of the lips, just enough to embarrass him but once their lips met it was like fireworks. The sound of the crowd faded away until it was just him and Dany, his little gasps of pleasure were magical and it wasn't until Dany broke the kiss that Marcus snapped out of his trance and remembered where they were. In the middle of a crowded stadium. With thousands of fans watching.

Marcus felt his cheeks redden, and Dany jumped off him, grabbing his helmet and skating off the rink, his face bright red. Marcus leapt to his feet, his heart racing as he skated after Dany while the rest of his team looked on in confusion. As he headed towards the changing rooms he could hear the referee's whistle, they must have restarted the match with a couple of subs.

Dany was sitting on a bench, untying his laces with frantic movements. Marcus sat next to him, unsure of what to say. In the end, Dany spoke first, "Your nose healed well, I'm sorry about that. I wanted to visit you in the hospital but I didn't know where they'd taken you." Dany removed his gloves before tracing the faint scar on Marcus' nose. Marcus shivered at the touch of his cold hands before taking off his own gloves and warming Dany's hands, rubbing them between his own.

A small smile crept on to Dany's face and Marcus leant in for another kiss, Dany's plump lips were soft and warm and they were perfection brushing against his own, the scrape of stubble like little sparks. Marcus was resting his forehead against Dany's as the final whistle blew, they didn't have long before the rest of Dany's team would be back here.

"Do you want to get some dinner after the match?" Marcus asked, not wanting to be separated from Dany just yet, desperate to get to know him better, see if these sparks had deeper meaning to them.

Dany smiled and nodded. "I'd like that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I know very little about Ice Hockey...


	11. Snow

Esteban woke up shivering, he wasn't used to the cold in Switzerland yet, but he was enjoying the snow. It made everything look so crisp and even, like the whole world had been wiped clean. Sergio was dozing so he crept out of bed and looked out the window. It had snowed overnight but the snow on their front garden had been disturbed. Esteban fetched his glasses and when he looked out the window again he could see words written in the snow:

_Esteban, will you marry me?_

Sergio awoke and wandered over, gently kissing his neck. "Will you?"

"Yes!"


	12. Skinny Jeans

Dan is shivering, not because he's cold. No, he's wrapped up in five layers, including thermal underwear, a puffy jacket and the fluffiest scarf and hat anyone has ever seen. He's shivering because his boyfriend is wearing skinny jeans and a t-shirt and that's it.

They're sitting on the patio of Dany's home in Switzerland, not that they can see it for all the snow everywhere, drinking coffee and taking in the fresh morning air. It's nice apart from the fact that he can see his breath hanging in the air every time that he exhales.

"Mate, it's like minus fifteen!"

"That's warm where I come from!" Dany laughs, sipping at his coffee while Dan sulks. "And the weather said that it's only minus three today."

"It doesn't feel like it." Dan's shoving his gloved hands into his pockets and Dany laughs some more.

"I can think of a way to make you forget about the cold." Dany puts his coffee down and wanders over to straddle Dan, pulling down his scarf just enough to expose Dan's lips before pressing his own warm lips to them.

The kiss sends sparks of lust through Dan's body, warming his soul and stopping him from shivering. He's amazed at how warm Dany's lips are, considering that his hands are always cold, no matter how hot it is.

"Feel warmer now?" Dany asks, happy that he's managed to put a grin on Dan's face.

Dan's grin gets even bigger and he says, "Dunno mate, I think I might need some more warming up."


	13. Twirl

Nicolas watched as Nico, _Rosberg_ , twirled his partner around, every movement perfect as they practiced their routine for the upcoming winter Olympics. Adrianne looked amazing in her white outfit, with red and blue sparkles that shone as she moved. Nicolas was sure that they were more than just partners, they spent all of their time together, hours and hours every day spent training but then each evening they had dinner together, and every morning they had breakfast together.

Rosberg put his hand out to grab Adrianne, drawing her in close so that their bodies were pressed together and their lips were hovering only millimetres away from each other's. The end to their routine. When Nicolas had planned it all out he had thought that he was going to be Rosberg's partner, bodies dancing in perfect synchronicity, but then Rosberg had wanted to work with Adrianne and since Nicolas was technically a coach, there was nothing he could say to that. Since then, he couldn't even think of Rosberg by his first name, distancing himself from him and all the feelings that he had for him.

Nicolas didn't like the twinge of envy he felt when he saw them together, and since he was their coach, he had no choice but to see them every day.

"What do you think coach?" Rosberg asked, his soft blond hair framed his face and Nicolas wanted to run his hands through it.

"Good." Nicolas hadn't been paying attention to the routine, he'd been far too busy watching Rosberg's hands on Adrianne, the way his hands dwarfed her tiny waist and how gentle yet precise he was with her. Thankfully there was no-one around to see the glazed look on his face or how his eyes were black with lust just at the thought of Rosberg.

"If there's nothing else, can we go? Adrianne's got a date tonight."

Strange way of asking, Nicolas thought, did Rosberg assume he'd be more sympathetic if he asked for Adrianne instead of himself?

"Sure. Enjoy your date." Nicolas couldn't quite figure out what the strange look was that Rosberg gave him, but he didn't want to make the conversation any longer, so he watched him skate back towards Adrianne who smiled and blew a kiss to Nicolas. That hurt. He wanted to call after them and tell them that they had to stay all night rehearsing, but the satisfaction of ruining their date would be overwhelmed by the guilt he felt.

Nicolas thought about putting his skates on and distracting himself for a while, but at the same time he just wanted to get away from this place for now. He'd be back here soon enough as it is.

He was waiting in the main entrance, rather than get soaked at the bus stop, when he saw Adrianne scurrying down the corridor.

"Thanks for this coach. I really appreciate it!" She dashed out of the door, her handbag over her head to superficially shield her from the rain, and straight towards a handsome looking man, with warm brown skin and a big smile just from the sight of Adrianne. He wrapped his arms around her before giving her a big kiss, oblivious to the rain splashing around them. They looked so happy.

Nicolas was staring when Rosberg wandered up, "That's Lewis, her boyfriend."

"Oh. I thought you two were dating." Nicolas scrunched his face up in confusion while Rosberg laughed uncontrollably.

"Me." He pointed at himself before waving his hand to dismiss the idea. "No. We're good friends but she's not my type." Rosberg laughed some more, shaking his head as he clutched his stomach.

"Sorry." Nicolas didn't know what to say, he wanted to tell him how he felt but he couldn't find the words.

"Are you waiting for someone? I was going to rehearse a little more and I could do with a partner."

Nicolas felt a surge of lust, and when he said 'yes' it sounded far needier than he wanted it to.

"Grab your skates and I'll see you on the ice." Rosberg, _Nico_ , said with a cheeky smile before trotting off to the changing rooms.

Five minutes later they were both on the ice, Nico was already there, warming up. Nicolas skated over to him and he put his hand out, allowing Nico to twirl him around, the height difference made Nico look tiny and delicate by comparison.

"So what is your type?" Nicolas asked, Adrianne was stunningly beautiful and very talented, so he must have a ridiculously high bar if she's not his type.

"You." Nico said with a blush, looking up at Nicolas with big blue eyes.

Nicolas wasted no time in picking him up, allowing him to wrap his legs around his waist and he skated over to the edge of the rink, thankful that Nico was so light, before sitting him on the wall at the edge, the perfect height for making out.

The first meeting of their lips was electric, months of yearning finally released as their soft moans echoed around the empty rink. Nicolas ran his hand through Nico's soft blond hair and it felt every bit as silky as it looked.

When they came up for air Nicolas rested their foreheads together before whispering, "I've been waiting to do that."


	14. Frozen

"I'm just going to post the last of the Christmas presents. I won't be long," Jo said, as he pulled on his hat and gloves, hauling the bag of presents over his shoulder as though he was Santa.

"Make sure you wrap up warm." Marcus heard him shutting the door and hoped that he was wearing enough layers, Jo didn't seem to realise that cold winters in Sweden were very different to the cold weather he was used to in Britain.

An hour later Marcus was starting to wonder where Jo could have got to when he heard the sound of keys in the front door. Marcus leapt up to get the door and there was Jo, with blue lips and snow stuck to his beard. He was shivering and Marcus hurried to get him in the door, taking off his wet gloves and hat that were themselves starting to freeze solid.

"You silly idiot," Marcus said, rubbing Jo's cold hands as he made whimpering noises. He slipped his damp clothing off, until Jo was wearing nothing but his thermal underwear. Marcus would worry about the pile of damp clothes later, right now all that mattered was getting Jo warmed up.

He slung a blanket over Jo and led him to the sofa, making sure that his feet and hands were covered, before heading to the kitchen to put the kettle on, and then rushing to the bedroom to grab their duvet. Jo still looked frozen when Marcus threw the duvet over him, but at least his lips were a less cold looking pink colour. By the time he'd returned with a large pot of tea and some biscuits, Jo was starting to look human again.

Marcus nestled under the blanket, trying to warm Jo up by holding him close, and even though he was far too big to fit on Marcus' lap it didn't stop him curling into a ball and snuggling into Marcus' warm chest. It was a strange sight, Jo's huge feet hanging off the edge of Marcus' lap, Marcus barely able to wrap his arms fully around Jo under all the layers of blankets.

When Jo stopped shivering Marcus asked, "Warm enough for tea?"

Jo nodded as Marcus poured the tea one-handed and handed him a cup. He held the cup with both hands as though it was giving him special powers, although Marcus knew that Jo's relationship with tea bordered on insanity. As Jo took a sip, the colour seemed to return to his face, and he no longer looked like he was in danger of hypothermia.

"Good?" Marcus asked. Jo smiled before giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Perfect."


	15. Whipped Cream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Lucy :)

Stoffel was surprising his boyfriend with breakfast in bed, Jo had told him once that he loved waffles, so he'd got fresh fruit and cream and placed them on a tray beside the bed, along with a cup of tea.

Jo came in from work to see Stoffel lying out on the bed, naked, his perfect abs were flat enough for him to balance the fruit on.

"I like whipped cream on my waffle." Jo grinned, stripping off his clothes, before carefully sitting next to Stoffel.

Stoffel raised an eyebrow, and heaped cream on to each nipple. "Breakfast is served."


	16. Rare Gift

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For CustardCreamies :)

Dan sighed as he trudged through the rain, he had spent all day going from book shop to book shop, hunting for a special gift for Dany. He knew that Dany loved his books, so he wanted to find him one that was perfect. Dan had tried all the second hand shops, and some of the antiques stores, but he'd still not found what he was looking for. He knew that there was only a few days left before Christmas and there wasn't going to be time to find anything else.

Just as Dan had given up on finding anything, and had settled for buying him something like a jumper instead, he ended up walking past a section of the town that had several charity shops all on the same road, near the university. The rain had got even heavier and he went in mainly just to escape the rain. Dan was having a look through the DVDs when a bright light shone down on a display in the centre of the shop. He went over and inside the glass display cabinet he saw an old book, but he couldn't read the title for the glare of the light on the glass.

He looked around to see a teenager standing behind the counter, looking bored. "Excuse me mate, could I have a closer at the book?"

They scurried off without a word and a few minutes later an older woman appeared, keys in hand and a friendly smile on her face. She was clearly the manager. "Are you a collector?"

"No." Dan chuckled a little, he wasn't really one for relaxing with a book. "It's for my boyfriend, he loves reading."

"Well this will be some surprise for him. It's an early edition Tolstoy; _Anna Karenina_." She opened the case and gently took the book out.

Dan stared at it as he tried to read the faded gold inscription on the outside, the leather binding was a little worn but it looked magical and even the smell of it conjured up images of grand old libraries.

"It's perfect." Dan's grin shone out and the manager took the book over to the till, wrapping it up in layers of tissue paper before putting it in a bag, in another bag, and finally in a slightly bigger bag to make sure that it wouldn't get wet on the way home.

Dan thanked her graciously, holding his package like it was his first born child. He couldn't wait until Christmas morning and to see Dany's face when he unwrapped it.

The next nine days crept past slowly, until Christmas Eve finally rolled around, and when the clock struck midnight Dan could bear it no longer. He handed Dany the present, now wrapped in a thick brown, red and gold paper, the colours a perfect match for the book inside, and tied with a red velvet ribbon.

Dany painstakingly unwrapped it, and when he saw what was inside his eyes were wide and his mouth hung open. He sat staring at it for the longest time, transfixed by its rarity and the knowledge that Dan must have put so much effort into finding it.

"Mate, the silence is killing me. Do you like it?"

Dany smiled before diving in for a hug. "I love it. I love you."


	17. Snowball Fight

Jo hadn't meant to clock a complete stranger with a snowball, he thought that Will was hiding round the corner so when someone appeared he'd pelted them with snowballs, until he saw the blond hair and realised that they weren't Will. He'd started to apologise but the stranger used this moment of respite to make a giant snowball and lob it right at Jo's head.

The snowballs turned into wrestling on the ground, trying to stuff snow into each other's underwear as Will watched on in fascination. "Well, that's one way to pick up a guy," he muttered to himself.


	18. Neighbour

Checo woke up shivering, his lips were cold and he could see his breath in the air. He grabbed a hoodie and some fluffy socks before scurrying to the kitchen. Checo turned the heating on but it was going to take a while to warm up the house. His mum had joked that Germany would be cold, but he had no idea how much colder it could get and looking out of the window he could see why; there was over a foot of snow on the ground. His back garden was completely covered and he let out a groan at the thought of having to clear all the snow just to get the car out of the garage so that he could go to work.

He grabbed a quick shower and wrapped up warm, preparing himself for the cold, but the thought of having to clear the snow made him long for his nice warm bed again.

Travel mug filled with coffee and wrapped up in the puffiest jacket he owns, as well as several other layers of clothes, Checo opened the door, only to be slapped in the face by the arctic wind. Once he could open his eyes, he saw that the path and the driveway were free of snow, and given the rate that it was snowing at, it must have been done recently.

As he hopped into his car, Checo saw a tall blond man waving to him and he got back out before wandering over to chat to him.

"Did you do this for me?" Checo asked. It was so sweet of him, and they'd never spoken, even though Checo had lived here for nearly six months now.

"Yes, one neighbour to another." His blond hair was perfect even with all the wind and snow, his smile promised so much and it left Checo feeling dizzy. "I'm Nico." He put out his hand to shake but Checo was still mesmerised by his attractive neighbour.

"Checo." He hastily grabbed Nico's hand, shaking it furiously. "Let me repay you. With dinner." Nico's face lit up at the suggestion of dinner and Checo knew that he was onto a sure thing. "I've got to head to work, but I'll see you tonight? About seven ish?"

"Deal."

The thought of seeing Nico's smile again got Checo through a difficult day at work and he had a smile on his face the entire way home. It took a lot longer than expected to get through the traffic, and with just three minutes to spare he was pulling into his garage and rushing to take off his shoes and coat.

Nico knocked on the door and Sergio looked frantic when he answered, his long hair was everywhere and he a blush to his cheeks. "Come in." He gave Nico a quick hug once the door was shut, and led him to the kitchen. "I've only just got in but it won't take me long to whip something up. Or I could order take-away?"

"I'd love something home cooked," Nico said, a dreamy quality to his voice. He sounded like a man who was used to living on take-away meals and missed his mother's cooking.

"Can I get you a beer?" Checo asked as Nico took a seat at the little table in the corner of the kitchen. He accepted and Checo got one for himself, more to calm his nerves more than anything else.

They chatted away as Checo fried up the onions and mince, before adding some beans and spices. Nico sniffed the air with appreciation and when it was finally time to eat, he didn't hesitate before taking a bite and making the most sensual noises Checo had ever heard anyone make while eating.

"You're an amazing cook," Nico said, before he took another bite.

"Thank you." Checo fidgeted with his food, his body was telling him to eat but his stomach was filled with butterflies.

"I'm going to have to clear your driveway every day if this is the reward." Nico's smile shone out and made Checo feel all warm inside.

Checo wanted to scream yes but he managed to control himself just in time; nodding as he mumbled, "It's a deal."

After dinner Nico headed home, Checo got another hug and he couldn't wait to see Nico again the next day. But when he woke up, the snow had all melted. Checo's heart sank and even though the weather was warmer, he felt cold inside.

It was a long day, wondering why it couldn't have snowed for just one more day, that's all he'd have needed to get to know Nico well enough to judge if he was interested or not. By the time he finally got home, he felt exhausted, and he knew that if he didn't make himself dinner now, he wouldn't eat at all.

Just as he was serving up the food, there was a knock at the door. Checo thought about ignoring it but his curiosity got the better of him and he went to answer it. Nico was standing there, cake in one hand, beers in the other.

"I never did say thank you for dinner last night," Nico said as Checo ushered him in to the house.

"You're welcome." Checo fidgeted with his hair. "It's perfect timing, I've just made dinner, would you like to join me?"

Nico followed Checo to the kitchen and he sat the cake and beer down on the worktop, before giving Checo a big hug. After a couple of minutes they were still holding each other and Checo took it as a sign, he stood on his tiptoes and pressed their lips together, frozen with fear until he felt Nico kiss him back, deepening the kiss until they were both breathless and sated.

"Good cook and a good kisser," Nico said as he broke the kiss.

Checo leaned in closer and whispered in his ear, "That's not all I'm good at."


	19. Walkies

Jo was prodded awake by Dana, not his girlfriend, but his great Dane who was wanting her early morning walk. She had no concept of weekends, or a lie in. Jo groaned before rolling out of bed, looking out the window on the way to the bathroom to see that it had snowed overnight.

He missed the feeling he got from snow when he was a kid, the excitement of something new. Now, it was just a hassle, something that got in the way of all the things that he needed to do. Like walking the dog.

A quick shower later, Jo grabbed Dana's lead and she jumped up on him in excitement, nearly knocking him over. He got her to sit for just long enough to clip the lead on and went out into the winter wonderland that was the outdoors.

Dana insisted on sniffing every snowflake, ignoring Jo's attempts to lure her back towards the house. She seemed happy outside and even the dog treats were snubbed in favour of exploring all of the new snow. He considered, briefly, trying to drag her back to the house, but she outweighed him and was the more stubborn of the two of them.

In the end, Jo relented, feeling like he was being walked by Dana instead of the other way round. She decided that they were going all the way to the park and Jo was glad that he didn't have anything planned for the day.

Once they were at the park, Jo let Dana off her lead and Dana brought Jo a stick; it was covered in ice and as thick as Jo's arm but she sat waiting for Jo to throw it, tail swishing through the snow. He lobbed it as far as he could and Dana launched herself after it. When she was half way there, a greyhound came speeding out of the woods and took Dana's stick. She turned round to look at Jo as if to say 'do something about it'.

Jo was walking towards Dana, lead in hand, as the greyhound tried to drag the stick away, one end of it dragging through the snow. He was a couple of steps away from Dana when a man appeared from the same path that the greyhound had come from. Dana trotted towards the man, tail wagging happily before jumping up on him and pushing him into the snow.

It only took a couple of seconds for Jo to run over to the man but he'd already sat up, petting Dana as she lapped up the attention.

"I'm so sorry," Jo said, clipping Dana back on to her lead before offering the man his hand and pulling him to his feet.

"You're okay sweetie," he said to Dana, "It's been a long while since anyone was excited to see me." There was a deep rumble to his laugh and Jo found himself smiling. "I'm Dany, and this is Rocket." Dany gave an order in a language Jo didn't understand and Rocket came to sit next to Dany's feet, she was clearly well trained.

"Dana," Jo said, he was going to introduce himself but he ended up staring at Dany's eyes, caught off guard by how attractive he was.

"Nice to meet you."

"She's Dana." Jo mimed hitting his head with his hand. "I'm Jo."

Dany laughed and shook his hand, Jo blushing as he batted his eyelashes. "Do you want to walk with us?" Dany asked and Jo nodded.

The company had made the weather seem less cold and Dana had behaved herself, apart from dragging Jo to try and follow a squirrel, which had Dany laughing as Jo jogged to keep up with her. Jo felt nervous the closer to home that he got, the squishy feeling in his stomach telling him to ask Dany for his number, or to come with them on their evening walk. Anything so that they could spend more time together.

"This is me." Jo pointed to his house, awkwardly lurking on the path, waiting for Dany to say something.

"I'll see you about."

Dana was creeping towards the door, slowly dragging Jo away. She pawed at the door as Jo fumbled with his keys; she darted into the house the second the door was opened, with Rocket following quickly behind. Dany walked over, a strange smile on his face, maybe his well-trained dog wasn't as perfect as Jo thought. But Jo didn't mind, he'd take all the time with Dany that he could get. Jo was still stood in the doorway, Dany was next to him, looking at him in a way that had his heart racing.

Dany pinned him against the door frame and kissed him passionately, his cold lips warming with every second that their lips were together. Jo let out a gasp, the shock of anyone finding him attractive and Dany pulled back, allowing him to catch his breath.

"Mistletoe," Dany said, pointing at the wreath on the door as though that was explanation enough.

"They're snowdrops, actually." Jo wondered why he was trying to talk his way out of another kiss, when the first one had been so good.

"Close enough." Dany shrugged and dived in for another kiss, their dogs sat patiently in the house, wagging their tails.


	20. Party

"Any advice for my driving test?" Lucy asked. She was one of his mum's newest employees, something to do with horses. Jo was really trying to listen when Lucy had told him what she did, but he'd only had to hear the word horse and his mind was wandering.

"Stay on the road. Keep clear of the moors." Jo smirked at his own joke and he looked at his feet with interest to avoid the glares of people around him.

Jo turned around, ready to shuffle off and get another drink when someone tapped his arm. "That's my favourite film."

"Mine too." Jo said, as he overheard his mum's colleagues talking about him, the word 'strange' stood out and he was just thankful that Stoffel had rescued him. When he'd invited him to the Palmer family Christmas party, he wasn't sure that he would show up, it was mainly his parents' friends and colleagues, people talking business, or horses, or worst of all both.

"I think we're going to need some more beer," Stoffel said, glancing around at the party guests with a look of disdain, rolling his eyes at Jo to show that he wasn't taking it too seriously. Jo smiled and let Stoffel link their arms together, wandering towards the kitchen in search of beer.

The kitchen was deserted, and the quiet was bliss to Jo. He let out a sigh of relief while Stoffel fished out four bottles of beer from the fridge, stuffing them into his jacket pockets with a satisfying clink of the glass.

"Is there somewhere quiet we can drink them?" Stoffel's grin would have made Jo agree to anything, but the thought of getting away from it sounded perfect to him. Jo leant in for a quick kiss, the feeling of his boyfriend's lips on his the best sedative that he knew of.

Jo led Stoffel to the staircase, tip toeing along the hall even though everyone was either in the living room or the dining room, the faint clink of glass the only sound. It was fun sneaking about, to feel childish again, although it had been a while since he'd had to hide alcohol from his parents.

By the time they reached Jo's room, they were giggling like idiots, and once the door was shut behind them they both collapsed in a fit of laughter. Stoffel opened the beer using the edge of the bedside table before making himself comfy.

"Do you want to watch a film?" Jo asked, once he had regained his composure.

"Do you have it?" Stoffel raised an eyebrow.

"Of course." Jo rummaged through a small pile of DVDs before finding the one he was looking for; _An American Werewolf in London_. He put the disk in and grabbed the remote. Sliding in next to Stoffel he accepted the beer and hit the play button, excitement making him fidgety but Stoffel rested his hand on Jo's knee, calmly stroking him until he settled.

Even though it wasn't a long film neither managed to stay awake until the end of it. They fell asleep together, wrapped in each other's arms, the film quietly playing in the background.

A few hours later, when the guests had all left, Jonathan was checking to see where Jo had got to and poked his head round the door, only to quietly shut the door again when he saw Jo and Stoffel asleep. As he turned to leave his wife was standing behind him. She had a half smile on her lips and with a raised eyebrow she said, "Told you that was his boyfriend."


	21. Ski Lift

It had all seemed like fun, going away with a few friends on a skiing holiday. That was until a few friends dropped out, leaving Marcus to go on holiday with Kevin and Dany. It wasn't that he didn't like them, he was good friends with both of them, but they were a couple, and he was going to be the third wheel.

Marcus wasn't going to let it spoil his fun though, he was a big boy and he didn't need anyone else to go and have fun. In fact, it was going to be nice to get some time alone on the slopes while Kevin and Dany were occupied. He'd got up early to get breakfast so that he could be first in line for the ski lift when it opened and he was now waiting, listening to a little Volbeat to get him in the mood.

The lift operator was getting everything ready when someone tapped him on the shoulder, and he turned round to see Kevin and Dany, cutting the line much to the annoyance of everyone else waiting. Marcus rolled his eyes as if that apologised for them.

"What are you two doing here?" Marcus asked. He stuffed his headphones away so that he wouldn't lose them, he wasn't sure if he'd packed a spare set and he was going to need them since he was sharing a cabin with Kevin and Dany.

"You weren't the only one up early," Kevin said, smiling in a way that left no doubt as to what he got up to this morning. Thankfully Marcus was spared any further details by the sound of the lift whirring into action and a chair came swinging round to get them.

They all got on the lift, Dany sarcastically waving goodbye to the others left waiting and as they rose up the mountain there was a spectacular view. It was trundling along at a good speed until they got up above the trees and they went a little slower, swinging gently in the wind. At the half way mark they slowed a little more and Marcus started to get a strange feeling, he told himself that he was being silly when he was flung against the safety bar of the lift, the chair was swinging but they were no longer moving up the mountain.

"It'll be a newbie stuck in the chair." Marcus scoffs at the idea of it, but it does happen fairly frequently, and they always end up moving after a few minutes.

Half an hour later and they still hadn't moved, none of them have a mobile signal and they couldn't see the station at the bottom of the mountain. They yelled for a little bit but it was getting them nowhere so they ended up sitting in silence, all of them trying to avoid the subject of being stuck on a lift, in the freezing cold, thirty or more feet up in the air.

"It's so cold that my lips are numb," Dany said, Marcus had never known him to feel the cold before, but when he saw him raise an eyebrow Marcus knew that he was up to something. "You should kiss me before we get frostbite."

The sound of Dany and Kevin making out was embarrassing, lots of moans and gasps and Marcus tried to shuffle away from them, but there was only twelve inches before he was going to have to jump out of the chair if he wanted to get any further away from them and it was long way down.

Marcus was trying not to watch but one of Kevin's hands were sliding into Dany's trousers and Marcus was staring, fascination more than anything else. Kevin broke the kiss and saw Marcus watching; Marcus blushed and looked away, pretending to be really interested in a tree far away, in the exact opposite direction.

Kevin's hand reached out for the toggle on his coat, dragging Marcus closer with a cheeky grin on his face. His rough chapped lips were cool and Marcus forgot that Dany, _Kevin's boyfriend_ , was sitting right next to them. It wasn't until Dany made a little groaning noise that Marcus broke the kiss, he was about to apologise but Dany leaned in over Kevin, grinning and licking his lips before going in for a kiss.

Marcus was starting to think that the cold must have made him delirious, his friends taking turns to kiss him and someone's hand was sliding up his thigh. The hand was only millimetres away when the lift clunked back into action, and everyone snapped back into their seat, giggling slightly at the strangeness of it all.

Kevin smirked as the top of the mountain approached. "To be continued."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a (smutty) part two [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5763046/chapters/13279102).


	22. Sledge

Kevin had spent all morning playing in the park with his little brother, sledging down the hill together until he'd got cold. His little brother was so tired that he'd had to carry him home, and it wasn't until Kevin was taking off his coat and gloves that he realised he'd left the sledge in the park. He hurried back to the park, hoping that it was still there, his brother loved playing in the snow.

The last thing he expected to see when he got back to the park was a man playing on the sledge. He was hurtling down the hill at speed, snow flying out as he came to a rest at the bottom. Kevin wandered up to him, noticing how even on a blustery day like this his hair was still perfect. He watched him for a while, the fascination far outweighing the need to go home and be warm.

"Hi. That's my little brother's, he left it here," Kevin said, not sure what response he was going to get.

The man stood up, handing Kevin the sledge, and put his hand out to shake. "I'm Stoffel."

"Kevin." He was eyeing Stoffel up in the most obvious way, but he didn't care, there was a lack of cute guys around here.

"Want to join me for one last run?" Stoffel asked, and there was something about his smile that Kevin couldn't say no to.

"Sure." Kevin's own cheeky smile made an appearance, it was only a small sledge, barely big enough for him and his little brother, never mind two grown guys.

They ran up the hill, Stoffel holding the sledge steady while Kevin sat on it before squeezing in front of him. Kevin had to wrap his arms and legs around Stoffel for them to fit and his lips were very close to the side of his neck as he leaned against him.

"Ready?" Stoffel's voice had a hint of mischief, and Kevin was about to reply when they started flying down the hill, on a tiny sledge that was out of control. As they got to the bottom Stoffel tried to steer it but he had ended up tipping them off it, sending them flying on to the soft snow.

They were both laughing as the sun began to set, and Stoffel went to fetch the sledge while Kevin brushed all the snow off his bum in an exaggerated manner.

"I'll see you about." Stoffel handed him the sledge back before giving him a quick kiss on the cheek and heading off out of the park.

"Sure." Kevin hurried home, dinner would be waiting and he didn't want to upset his mum. It wasn't until he was back in the house that he saw there was something on the sledge, a little scrap of paper stuck to the ice. A piece of paper with a phone number on it, and one simple instruction – to call Stoffel.


	23. Warmth

Nico laughed sometimes when he thought about his flatmates, they were all so different, and yet they got on so well together. Paul was very serious with a dark sense of humour, Esteban shy but with a cheeky side and Nico, well, he was the confident one, the guy that knew he was attractive.

He was heading home, wondering what Esteban was cooking for dinner tonight and hoping that the shower would be free so that he could get rid of his soaking wet clothes and warm up before food. Nico was cursing the fact that he hadn't listened to Paul this morning when he'd told him that it was going to rain, and that maybe he should take his umbrella. Although with this wind, an umbrella would probably have been useless, but that wouldn't stop Paul saying 'I told you so' when he got home drenched.

Nico stumbled in through the door, he was so cold that his body was shaking but he was home now and he headed straight for the shower. The lights seemed dim but he assumed it was because his glasses were covered in rain and steaming up from his breath. He stripped off his clothes, ears ringing from the cold and he turned the water on, jumping in and shrieking as the cold water pelted his body. Paul came dashing in, his eyes darting around the room to see where the danger was but there was only Nico, naked and shivering in the middle of the room.

"What happened?" Paul asked.

"The water's freezing!" Nico was convulsing with his shivers and Paul wrapped a couple of towels around him, trying to pat him dry before making him put on a thick fluffy dressing gown.

"The gas and electric is out. So no heating, and no food that needs cooking," Paul said. Nico gasped at the last part, no warm food. Cold food just wasn't the same when he was cold. "Esteban's ordered takeaway, it should be here in the next ten minutes."

Nico nodded, although he was still frozen to his very soul and shivering, no food would be a worse kind of torture for him. Paul led Nico to his bed, before calling Esteban through. "He's frozen, I'm going to warm him up."

Esteban nodded, his eyes wide with fear at the sight of Nico so pale and shaky. "I'll bring the food through when it arrives."

Paul started stripping off his clothes, leaving only his boxers, and Nico managed to raise an eyebrow. "I'll warm you up with my body heat."

Nico laughed, Paul was anything but warm at the best of times, his skin was often cool to the touch and his hands were like ice, even on mild days. But the cold was gnawing at him and he knew it would be silly to refuse his offer. When Paul lifted the duvet, the slight draft had Nico shivering, but when Paul's body was pressed against his the heat was magnificent, it was like being pressed against a lanky, Paul-shaped radiator and it was enough to stop him shivering.

As Nico was dozing off to sleep, Esteban came through with the pizza, its warm aroma filling the room and Nico was torn between being hungry and being cold, but the food won. Just.

Esteban joined them in bed, and Nico tried not to watch as Esteban stripped off at lightning speed. Esteban was always a little self-conscious; he had no idea how handsome he was. But Esteban's eyes caught his, and even though he couldn't see him clearly, Nico could tell that he was blushing. He slid into bed next to Nico, so that he was surrounded on both sides by his human radiators, before rearranging the duvet to free their hands for eating.

They all ate quickly, the food was cooling off at an alarming rate, and they let Nico have the last slice before curling in around him. Nico was finally warm and full, content with his life. They snuggled together, comfy under the duvet, murmuring their good nights to each other as their body heat allowed them to form a nice warm mass of lanky limbs.

"I love you," Nico said, holding them both tight.

"I love you too," Paul and Esteban said at the same time, but Nico wasn't done. Yes, he loved them but it wasn't the love that you have for friends and relatives, it was the all-consuming love of having found his soulmate, _soulmates_.

"I'm in love with both of you." Nico wanted to see their faces, see how they were reacting to all of this. His heart was racing and he wanted to take it all back but he couldn't. He just wanted them to say something, anything, to break the silence and put him out of his misery.

Nico felt Esteban move, and just as Nico was about to say something, he felt Esteban's soft lips kissing at the side of his neck and Paul's cool hands running over the curve of his back. He hugged them both tighter, all too tired for anything more than a few lazy kisses. Nico grinned, knowing that they both felt the same way about him felt better than any physical pleasure.


	24. Movies

Max was getting everything ready for his first Christmas in his new Monaco apartment, it was so strange not to have his dad around, and although he was enjoying the freedom, he wasn't happy about the thought of spending Christmas alone.

On Christmas Eve he called his mother and sister, they were on holiday with his step-father and having a wonderful time. He wished that he'd gone with them now, but he'd said that he was too old for family holidays. And his dad had said that if he wasn't coming home for Christmas then that was his choice, Max hadn't even bothered to invite him to Monaco, knowing that he would refuse the offer.

He sat alone on the sofa, wondering what he was going to do with his holidays when there was a knock at the door. Max hurried to answer it, not caring who it might be, just glad for the distraction. When he saw who it was on the other side of the door, his heart raced and he couldn't stop smiling.

"Hi Carlos. What are you doing here?" Max fidgeted with the strings on his hoodie, every time Carlos was near he got nervous, and he wasn't sure why.

"You told me once that the thing you loved most about Christmas was curling up on the sofa and watching movies with your family. And, I know you're all alone so… I thought you could do with the company."

Max dragged Carlos into a hug, almost knocking him off his feet and sending them tumbling into the hallway. Carlos' soft, fluffy hair tickled his nose and he giggled, hugging Carlos tighter, comforted by his familiar scent. He was amazed that Carlos had remembered what he said, it was so sweet of him.

"Dan and Dany are on their way, Dan's just gone to pick Dany up from the airport," Carlos said, brushing a stray eyelash away from Max's cheek.

Max blushed, he had no idea that so many people cared about him. He gave Carlos the tour of the flat but apart from the furniture that came with the place there was nothing personal at all, no photos or mementoes, no evidence that Max lived there at all. Even the colour scheme was boring beige, no splashes of colour that might reflect its owner's personality. Just bland beige everything.

Max went to make coffee for them, hoping that there was a kettle somewhere, and some coffee. He returned to the living room with two cups, hoping that he had made it correctly, he couldn't remember ever making even a coffee before. He was going to have to learn so much if he was going to live alone.

Once he sat down, Carlos handed him a small cube, wrapped in blue and purple paper with little cars all over it. It wasn't Christmassy but it fitted Max perfectly. "Open it."

"It's not Christmas day yet." Max had never been allowed to open his presents early as a kid. Never.

"I won't tell Santa if you don't." Carlos laughed and his soft hair shook, his luscious locks that Max often found himself staring at for no reason.

Max tentatively ripped at the paper, it felt so wrong to be opening it, and yet he had to know what Carlos had got him. Carlos staring at him spurred him on and he tore at the paper, revealing the most wonderful gift that Max could ever imagine. It was a cube that had a different photo of them on each side, both smiling and happy in each one. Max's heart raced with how sweet it was and he had to stifle a tear before hugging Carlos with so much force that Carlos had to make soothing noises just to get Max to loosen his grip a little.

"You needed something to make this place a little more like home," Carlos said, his soft lips grazed Max's cheek and the spark of lust that it sent through Max's body left him wanting more.

Max went in for a kiss and Carlos' lips felt like perfection against his own, soft and moist and warm, with a hint of coffee and something else that was unmistakably Carlos, so familiar and safe. Max deepened the kiss as he ran his hands through Carlos' hair and it was like silk in his hands, he twisted it in his fingers just to feel it surround him and by the time he broke the kiss they were both gasping for air.

Max heard the door opening and the familiar sound of Dan and Dany filled the house, he must have forgot to lock the front door after he let Carlos in. Carlos' face was flushed and Max knew that he must look the same, lips swollen and moist and the glow of the newly in love.

"Not interrupting anything, are we?" Dany said as he dumped his bag down by the sofa. There was no doubt that he'd be staying at Dan's tonight.

Carlos smiled and Dany laughed, they'd been friends for so long that they seemed to communicate without words, it had made Max sick with envy at first, until he found out that Dany had a huge crush on Dan, and being teammates had brought it all out, ending with them screaming 'I love you' in a debrief session.

Christian hadn't been joking when he said that everyone knew already, it was more of a surprise to the Dans than anyone else.

"I've got movies!" Dan said, he had his mega-cheery-happy grin on and his eyes were wide with excitement.

Popcorn was made and snacks were found, Max thrilled that he could spend Christmas Eve watching movies with his family. His family that actually wanted him and loved him.


	25. Christmas Wish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Lucy :)

Kevin was still getting used to Nico going away for work, it was just one of those things for a racing driver, but it didn't stop him missing Nico. He'd said that he would be home on Christmas Eve, but his flight had been delayed and he wasn't going to make it home in time for Christmas. Kevin was all alone and it was too late for him to go home to Denmark.

He made himself some hot chocolate and snuggled into bed, but it felt empty without Nico. He tossed and turned but he couldn't get comfy, so he flung on the light and that was when he saw Nico's pyjamas, the ones that he'd bought him as a joke, which had the Incredible Hulk all over them. Nico had laughed when he saw them and worn them when it was cold, knowing that it made Kevin happy.

Kevin held them tight to his chest, inhaling Nico's scent but it wasn't enough, he wanted to be surrounded by it so he put them on. Just seeing how comically large they were on him cheered him up and it was almost as good as having Nico wrapped around him. Finally comfortable, he fell asleep in them, wishing that he could have Nico as his present when he woke up on Christmas morning.

*

Nico had turned on the charm to get another flight to a different airport, and then managed to hitch a lift with one of the other passengers to the nearest train station. Two trains, a bus and a taxi later, he was standing outside his house, quietly trying to open the door so that he wouldn't wake Kevin.

He tiptoed through the house, leaving all of his bags by the door to be dealt with tomorrow. When he reached the bedroom he put a small lamp on and the sight of Kevin in his pyjamas had his heart breaking, he must have been so sad at the thought of Christmas without him. Nico had felt the same way when he found out his flight was delayed, his first thought was of Kevin.

Kevin stirred in his sleep and Nico stroked his hair, calming him. He slid into bed next to Kevin, holding him tight and whispering how much he loved him until he fell asleep too.

The next morning Nico was woken with a kiss, Kevin's grin shining out. Nico stroked his cheek and Kevin nuzzled at his hand as he said, "I got my Christmas wish. You're home."


	26. Shooting Star

"I wish that I had a drive for next year." Kevin was staring out of his window watching a shooting star go past. He was far too old to believe in wishes, or magic, but it didn't stop him hoping.

Little did he know, in a nearby dimension, someone was listening...

"Ericsson. You're up." Monisha yelled round the door of her office, since she was the supervisor she got her own space, rather than one of the cubicles on the main floor like the agents. Marcus looked at his screen and saw that a new case had come in, an interesting one at that. Most of the cases were children wishing for a puppy or a kitten, they were open and shut cases, but this one was going to take some effort.

He went to get himself a coffee, and prepared himself for a long night researching everything to do with motorsports and Formula one.

Four hours and six coffees later, Marcus was wondering how something could be so complicated. He'd done all his research on Kevin and seen that he was very talented. So he'd thought that would be enough, until he found out that a big part of getting a drive came down to money.

That was the first problem, they didn't get any money to make wishes happen. Marcus described his normal methods as more serendipity than anything else, but in reality he worked very hard. He loved making people happy, which is why he'd chosen this as a job. Although as jobs go in his dimension, it's one of the easier ones.

So, he was going to have to find some sponsors for Kevin, and that would get him a drive. How hard could that be?

Thirty-four phone calls later he'd managed to scrape up a pitiful sum of money, with most companies assuming that he was a prank caller. The ones that had believed him, he'd told them that he was Kevin's manager's assistant, and that they should phone her to confirm all the details. He'd also managed to get Kevin a test with Porsche. So now, all he could do was wait for it all to play out.

Marcus went to pick up the next wish in the queue and he rolled his eyes when he saw what it was – a puppy.

One dog delivered and Marcus strutted back into the office, hoping that everything would have worked out for Kevin and he could close two cases today. He sipped his coffee as he waited for Kevin's case to load up, and when he saw what had happened he almost spat his coffee out.

"What do you mean they're only running two cars?" Marcus slammed his keyboard, causing the agent next to him to jump. He slumped over his desk, resting his head on it, wondering what his next move should be. Marcus had never come across a case this difficult, but he'd never failed to make a wish come true. Never. And Kevin wasn't going to be his first.

By the time Monisha came in the next morning, there was coffee cups everywhere and Marcus looked like he hadn't slept in a week. She tapped him on the shoulder and he leapt round in his seat, eyes wide from all the coffee.

"I can assign another agent if it's too much for you," Monisha said.

"No, I think I've finally got it sorted." Marcus tried to smile but it only made his face feel strange, but he wasn't quite finished yet. He wanted to deliver this one in person.

Marcus materialised in Kevin's bedroom, there were trophies from his younger days littering his room and there were photos of him with his family everywhere. Kevin was asleep and an arm and a leg were hanging out from under the duvet, it was a cold night and even with the blanket he was wearing a hoodie and some sort of jogging bottoms. Marcus tiptoed over to leave his wish, but as he took a step the floorboards creaked and Kevin snapped awake.

"Who are you?" Kevin asked.

"When you wish upon a star… It's actually a satellite. Your wish gets recorded and catalogued, and then an agent, like me, is assigned to your case."

Kevin opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out.

"Merry Christmas," Marcus said, "I know it isn't quite what you wanted, but I hear that America is nice, and you'll be close to your dad."

Kevin stared at the contract, a full season in sports cars, alongside his dad. It was a dream come true. He was speechless, and he wanted to thank the stranger but he was still convinced that it was a dream that he was going to wake up from.

"Sorry it's a day late. This was an unusual one," Marcus said, Kevin hadn't said anything yet and he was starting to get worried.

Kevin leapt out of bed and hugged Marcus with such force that even though he didn't need to breathe, he felt like the air was being squished out of him. He placed a kiss on his cheek and whispered, "Thank you."

The next morning Kevin woke up, convinced it was a strange dream, until he saw the contract sitting by his bed. 


	27. Snowfamilies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With thanks to Fanni for her wonderful drawing of [Dany in a Christmas jumper](http://redbullsboys.tumblr.com/post/132468492191/awkward-christmas-dany-because-i-got-bored-in) that inspired me :)

"Dad, do we have to wear them?" Max and Carlos groaned and gave Dany the saddest, poutiest looks in a bid to avoid having to wear the most hideous Christmas jumpers. Every year they had this same argument with their dad, and Dan, their other dad, would 'convince' them to wear the jumpers. It had become a strange tradition in the Kvyat-Ricciardo household.

They had all groaned when Dany had given them the jumpers, as per usual. "Come on, they're not that bad," Dan said with a big grin, "They light up!" Dan pressed a little button and the Christmas trees on the front of the jumper lit up with tiny flashing lights. 

"That's quite cool," Carlos said, taking his jumper and putting it on. Dany knew that it was hard to get teenagers excited about anything, so he'd gone completely overboard this year, and that was saying something. When Max saw how excited it made Dany he had put his jumper on too. At least it was warm.

Dany loved Christmas, he always went all out with the food and the decorations and even the cheesy Christmas jumpers. He was wearing a bright red jumper with a reindeer on it, and some pom-poms for snow around it. Dan was wearing a matching one in green and Max and Carlos had both reluctantly put on their flashing jumpers and were pressing the button repeatedly to see all the different sequences for the lights.

Eight years ago they'd had their first Christmas together as a family, he and Dan had adopted Max and Carlos when they were five and seven, the paperwork had all gone through a few weeks before Christmas and they were so excited to bring the boys home. Dany had been so nervous about being a dad but once Max and Carlos were living with them, it had all clicked into place. A few years later, just as Carlos was starting high school they found out why they'd been through so many foster homes, they'd never been allowed to stay together.

They'd had many wonderful Christmases together, and this year was no exception. Dany made the most spectacular meal and afterwards he'd suggested that they go and play in the snow.

There had been so much snow over the last week that Dany wanted to make not just snowmen, but the entire family, and even a few pets. And to do that he was going to need some help from his family.

"Make sure you wrap up warm," Dany said as they headed towards the garden.

"Yes, dad. We're not little kids anymore," Max said, even though he was the younger of the two, he had always been very mature for his age. Dany gave him a kiss on the forehead, although at the rate Max was growing Dany wasn't going to be able to do that for much longer.

It had taken them a while to get the big snowballs together for their snowfamily, there had been many little snowball fights along the way, but now there were four snowmen standing in their garden, including one with Dan's big cheesy grin carved into its face.

"They should have a dog, don't you think?" Dan said, his big cheesy grin on display.

"Every family should have a dog." Dany smiled and they waited for the kids to catch on.

"Does that mean we can get a dog?" Carlos said, they'd always wanted a dog but never asked, since Carlos had been told by one of his many foster parents that they didn't want to look after a kid and a dog.

"Really?" Max squeaked.

"After Christmas," Dany said, he'd been looking into it for a while now, "We can go down to the shelter and adopt one."

Max and Carlos rushed in to hug their dads. Carlos never imagined that he would have a family like this, he thought he was destined to spend forever going from foster home to foster home, without Max. But now, surrounded by his family who loved him, he knew that they would always be there for him.


	28. Stuck

Kevin had dragged himself out of bed only for his car not to start this morning, so he ended up trudging through the snow to get a bus to work. He was late, but not too late, which would have been fine if he hadn't got to work to realise that the shop was shut because the manager hadn't made it in to open up, and the buses had all been cancelled in the time it had taken for him to walk from the bus stop. At least his friend Marcus was willing to give him a ride home, but he had to work all day, so Kevin was looking at eight hours spent sitting around a mostly deserted shopping mall waiting for him to finish work.

A couple of hours later he was sitting in the coffee shop, reading his book and watching the cute guy behind the counter. So far he was the only customer that had been in all morning and the counter was now sparkling from the amount of time that the barista had spent cleaning it.

Kevin went up to get what would be his third coffee, and decided since it was so quiet he might as well take his chance. As the barista scribbled his name on the cup, habit rather than necessity, Kevin said, "Doesn't seem fair, you know my name, but I don't know yours." He put on his best angelic grin, the one that Marcus said made him look like he'd been sent to save the human race, and fluttered his eyelashes.

"Nico." He blushed as he fidgeted with his glasses. Nico handed Kevin his drink before scribbling his number on the little card cover.

"Since it's so quiet, do you want to come join me?" Kevin asked.

"Sure." Nico's smile lit up his whole face, and he made himself a hot chocolate before sitting down on the sofa with Kevin.

A few hours passed and Kevin had learnt a lot about Nico. All food seemed to be his favourite food and he liked the _Pirates of the Caribbean_ movies. Not another soul had been in during that entire time and Kevin was trying to convince Nico to close the store and come to the movies with him when there was announcement on the mall's public address system.

"We have been warned that the storm has got more severe. People are advised not to leave the mall. Shops are to close up and everyone is to assemble in the food court where further instructions will be given."

The announcement was repeated a few times. Kevin leant his head back on the sofa, a low groan escaping, this day just kept getting worse.

"I'm just going to grab my things. Wait for me?" Nico's smile had Kevin thinking that maybe things weren't that bad.

When they got down to the food court, Marcus was already there and he raised an eyebrow at the sight of Nico trailing behind Kevin. There was only thirteen people, all of them staff and they all looked unhappy at the turn of events.

"We're spending the night here," Marcus said. He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head, none of them looked happy at the turn of events.

Kevin shivered as he looked round at all the hard plastic chairs and the closed food kiosks, before staring at Nico. He didn't even have to say a word, Nico was thinking the same thing as he was.

"Everyone follow me," Nico's soft voice echoed around the food court. There was the sound of chairs scraping and feet shuffling on the hard floor. No-one questioned Nico, but really anything was going to be better than spending the night here.

When they got to the coffee shop, the smell of coffee and cake wafted out to greet them. "Make yourselves comfy and I'll get the machines warmed up," Nico said with a big grin, and Kevin was looking at him as though he was a hero. Although at a time like this he was an actual hero, providing food with a smile.

Once everyone had a hot drink and some food, Nico snuggled in next to Kevin, wrapping his arm around him and Kevin thanked his lucky stars that his car wouldn't start that morning.


	29. Guardian Angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Lucy :)

Esteban was sat watching his monitor, wondering what he was going to do with his time off that he had coming up. He didn't have to do anything with it, but he had been thinking about taking human form and going down to Earth for a while. Which was _completely_ unrelated to the cute blond that he happened to be guardian angel for.

He had watched over Nico for twenty-eight years now, and when he'd picked racing as his career, Esteban had wondered why him. Of all the people he could have looked after, why someone with a dangerous job. But then he'd watched him grow into a really handsome and, more importantly, a wonderfully kind and honest guy.

It just so happened that Esteban's time off coincided with Nico's winter break, and he knew that Nico was going to be alone for the holidays. So now it was a question of how to accidentally bump into him and introduce himself. Esteban had noticed that every morning he went for a run, always the same route, always ending up at a small café for a big breakfast. He knew Nico's route by heart and he thought that might be the best way to meet.

Esteban had acquired all the things he was going to need while he was on Earth, and spent the night thinking about what he would say when he actually got to speak to Nico.

He materialised in a small alley, out of the way of prying eyes, he didn't want to scare anyone. Esteban wandered round the corner, heading for where he knew Nico would be jogging when someone collided with him.

Esteban was lying on the pavement, glasses cracked with a trickle of blood flowing from his temple, his suitcase had exploded the second that it hit the floor and sent all his clothes flying everywhere. His first thought was, _I'll be late to meet Nico,_ but as he tried to stand up he felt all dizzy and his vision clouded over.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't see you."

Esteban would recognise that voice anywhere, Nico, his Nico. Soft yet forceful, and with just a hint of wry self-depreciation so that he doesn't seem arrogant. The voice of an angel, and Esteban should know a thing or two about that.

"I forgive you. I'm just a little dizzy." Esteban squinted in the early morning sun, trying to get a better look at Nico but it was no use, the sun was dazzling and the damage to his glasses had blurred it further.

"My house is not too far from here, I'll get you cleaned up." Nico gathered up Esteban's belongings and stretched out a hand to help Esteban to his feet. He slung an arm around Esteban's waist and started to walk slowly. Esteban was overwhelmed by all the feelings, how soft Nico's skin was, the smell of his sweat and the warmth of his soul all had Esteban feeling dizzy all over again.

As Esteban walked into Nico's place, he was shocked at how different it looked in person, rather than just observing from a distance. It made everything seem more real, more tactile. The colours seemed more vivid but the most noticeable thing was the scent of the air, Nico's shower gel mingled with the bacon that he'd had for breakfast, combined with the sea air and the bright sunshine, it smelt like home.

Nico led Esteban to the sofa, heading off to get a small first aid kit and a cup of coffee. "I forgot to ask your name. I'm Nico."

Esteban nearly said 'I know', but he caught himself at the last minute. "Esteban."

"Lovely name," Nico said as he dabbed at the cut on Esteban's head. "Where are you staying?"

"I haven't booked anywhere yet." Or more accurately; _there is no money in heaven, so I had to wait until I got to Earth to actually pay for anything_ , Esteban thought.

"Stay here. It's the least I can do," Nico's smile up close was even more amazing that Esteban could ever have imagined, and having those blue eyes firmly focused on him made Esteban feel like his soul was on fire.

"Thank you. That's so kind of you."

"It's selfish really, I just don't want to spend the holidays alone." Nico had no idea why he was telling this stranger everything, but he felt a connection, like he'd known him for a very long time, and he knew that he could tell him anything, anything at all.

Nico went in for a kiss, no idea why apart from he wanted to. But when their lips met, a jolt of electricity rushed through his body and he knew that it was all that he wanted.

Esteban couldn't believe that Nico was kissing him, his first kiss and it felt amazing. Soft lips caressing his and Nico's big hands holding him tight, making him feel safe.

A week flew by, Nico and Esteban were inseparable and Esteban was dreading having to tell Nico the truth.

"Stay with me, stay here." Nico said as they were lying in bed, sun dancing over Nico's golden hair, making it look like a halo.

"I can't I have to go back to work," Esteban wanted nothing more than to be by Nico's side forever, but he had a job to do, and he didn't trust anyone else to look after his Nico.

"Why can't you work here?" Nico said, a playful grin on his face.

Esteban sighed, he'd seen so many human films where angels gave up their wings for a mortal, but it just didn't work that way. If he stayed on Earth the body he was in would waste away, that's why they could never stay for more than a week. Esteban let his wings out, masses of soft bronze feathers sweeping around him like a cape.

"I'll always be with you. Watching over you, but I can't stay here." Tears ran down Esteban's face, seeing Nico accept him without hesitation had only made him love Nico even more. He kissed Nico, before disappearing into the ether, leaving Nico crying.

"I love you," Nico mumbled, as Esteban came crashing back down into his bedroom. He hurried over to where he was lying on the floor, clutching his elbow. Nico hugged him tight, tears still trickling down his face, but now they were tears of joy. "You're back. How?"

"I don't know," Esteban patted his pockets, and produced a letter with the most ornate gold lettering on it.

_See you in sixty-three years. Enjoy true love's gift._


	30. Office Party

"Jo, would you do me a favour and check that the offices are empty?" Nick asked. Jo wanted to say no, but he was the only one still vaguely sober after the office party, and Nick was his boss, so he trudged off towards the offices while Nick herded the remaining few stragglers out of the building.

There was no sign of anyone and Jo thought about just heading home but there were three small offices on the top floor and he'd hate for anyone to be locked in. It was eerily quiet in the stairway and Jo felt his heart rate climbing, it was like a horror movie. When he finally got up to the top floor he breathed a sigh of relief and felt more than a little silly.

He wasn't expecting to find anyone so when he opened the door to the last office and saw two of his colleagues making out on their boss' desk he actually yelped in fright.

Stoffel and Kevin turned to stare at him and he wanted to apologise but he didn't know what to say. So of course he said the one thing that would make things worse, "Were you having sex in here?"

"We were about to when we were so rudely interrupted," Kevin said, and Jo blushed, which had been Kevin's aim.

"Nick's about to lock up for the night, so unless you want to spend the night here you should head home." Jo was about to smile, this was the closest he was going to get to a witty response, when the lights all went out. Nick must have forgotten about him. He was the guy that people forgot about.

"Brilliant, we're locked in for the night. Are you happy?" Jo sighed, and fished out his mobile so that they had some light.

Kevin smiled and raised an eyebrow. "I can think of a way to pass the time."


	31. New Year's Eve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Lucy :)

Marcus was sitting on a bench, mesmerised by the moon's reflection on the still surface of the lake. Next to him was his boyfriend, Roberto, who was shivering from the cold, even though he had on more layers than Marcus and was almost completely covered apart from his eyes and nose. Marcus held him tight, rubbing his gloved hands trying to warm him up.

"We can go back to the cabin if you want?" Marcus asked, although he had been planning this surprise for months, he didn't want Roberto to freeze.

"No. I want to see them," Roberto said, his voice muffled by his fluffy scarf.

Marcus was hoping that they would be in luck tonight, he had come here many times as a child and seen them. Not that it wasn't nice to visit his family's cabin with Roberto, get away from it all in the most northern region of Sweden.

They had been sitting for over an hour, the sun had disappeared many hours before that. Marcus knew that many other people would have spent the night partying to usher in the New Year, but he wanted to do something memorable for their first new year together.

Marcus held Roberto close and peered at his watch; quarter to midnight.

"Just fifteen more minutes," Marcus said, his breath hanging in the freezing cold air.

Roberto nodded, too cold to even speak. Marcus cuddled him into the crook of his neck, keeping him warm as he ran his hands over his hood as though as he was stroking his hair.

Marcus heard a soft snore, and he was about to take Roberto back to the cabin when he saw that it was midnight. He placed a gentle kiss on his cheek and whispered, "Happy new year, my love."

Roberto opened his eyes and saw the most amazing array of colours reflected in Marcus' eyes. He turned to see the night sky lit up with blushes of green and purple swirling above them. Roberto gasped with how beautiful it all was and his heart raced as he took it all in. It was perfection, snuggled next to the man he loves, who would do this for him and watching the northern lights dance for them.

**Author's Note:**

> Winter Warmers 2016 are all [here](http://archiveofourown.org/series/597085) :)
> 
> *and obviously none of this actually happened, it is all a figment of my twisted imagination ;)


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